Jean de Villiers’ captain speech leaked to the press

Big Daddy Rugby managed to get a copy of the speech that Jean de Villiers gave the new Bok squad in his first training session as Bok captain. In the spirit of journalistic integrity, we reproduce it here, unedited, in its entirety:

“Well, boys it’s the first time that we’re all together since Colonel Gadaffi was ousted from power. Some of you may have known him better by his street name, John Smit. As your new Bok captain, Heyneke has asked me to impart some words of wisdom to the squad. I’d like to start by telling all the Bulls players here (and there are a lot of you) that the most important thing I have learned in my years playing in the Cape is that it is poor form to put ice cubes in your wine, especially if it is a wooded chardonnay – it really messes with the tannins. All right, enough with the life lessons.

Now that I am skipper, things are going to change around here. I run a pretty tight ship. First of all, no one, I repeat, NO ONE who has played less than 10 caps is allowed to give me direct eye contact. You earn that right. Until you have played New Zealand in New Zealand you don’t smile or wink at me in the corridors.

Secondly, I want the whole squad, including management to refer to me as “Proposition Jean” or “Prop J”. If you call me Jean I will ignore you. That includes if I am put away in space and you are on my outside with only one man to beat. I also refuse to pass to anyone who doesn’t appreciate Springsteen’s Nebraska album. Gadaffi may have been comfortable with you experimenting with that Marron 5 stuff but that ends now.

Stay humble, remember to practice ritual purity. As Carel Du Plessis used to say, “guilty feet have got no rhythm”.

And lastly, before we go out there, remember: Nothing lasts forever… even cold November rain.”